Over a decade of floods

Gillian Loney

CLARKSTON pensioners Stewart and Christine Hendry are fighting against the tide to fix a drainage problem which constantly floods their back garden.

The Hendrys have been exchanging letters with Scottish Water and East Renfrewshire council for 12 years in a bid to stop a drain from the new-build flat car park behind their tenement from flooding their communal garden.

But it was Monday’s heavy rain which caused the worst flood the building has suffered yet.

Stewart, who lives in the ground floor flat, told The Extra: “It happens every time there’s heavy rain – but this week was the worst I’ve ever seen. It must have been four feet deep and looked like Rouken Glen pond.

“My worry is that I think there’s sewage involved, because we get all kinds of stuff floating in it, and I spotted rats recently too”.

Despite a stack of complaint letters and rising damp in their bathroom, the Hendrys are no further forward – and worry that the problem may hamper plans to sell their flat and move north to be with family.

Stewart continued: “Someone should be out cleaning this place up – but no one comes near.

“We’re trying to sell the place in the next year, but would you buy a house with a problem like this?”

This week, a spokesman for Scottish Water admitted: “There is an incapacity issue with our waste water infrastructure in the area”.

He added that the water board is “liaising with East Renfrewshire council, who are investigating the matter”.

Meanwhile, East Renfrewshire council has stated that it is aware of the problem, and had scheduled work for November 12, unable to be carried out because of bad weather.

A spokeswoman told The Extra: “The regularity of blockages at a grill downstream has increased since November 2011, when Scottish Water carried out works to their infrastructure.

“This grill is currently inspected and cleared by ERC on a monthly basis or whenever inclement weather is forecast.

“We are in the process of replacing a grill or trash screen on the fence-line at rear of properties on this road.

“The replacement grill will be placed upstream in a more accessible location and the design will not be prone to blockages – it is anticipated that this work will be completed by November 30, although this is subject to potential weather delays”.